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Dueling destinies

This past Friday, I found myself listening to NPR’s Talk of the Nation–Science Friday, and I was struck by a throw-away comment by one of the guests. The subject was the Messenger fly-by of the planet Mercury; a caller asked something about the effects of the sun’s expansion on the atmospheres of the planets. The expert noted that, although he was not an expert on stars, he knew that the sun would eventually expand to the point where it would likely engulf the inner planets. Of course, this would happen billions of years from now, so it is nothing to lose sleep over. It’s not as if the world is going to be transformed tonight into a lake of fire.

No, that view was on the other radio station.

I was driving along, with the radio tunedTo the lowermost end of the dial;Through the static, two stations were both coming inSo I listened to both for a while.First one, then the other, would drift into rangeAs the road, through the hills, wound around;And I gradually noticed, the speakers on bothWere discussing the same common ground.The topic today was the end of the world,And both stations had stories to tell;The first speaker told how the sun would expandBut the second was speaking of Hell.The first station spoke of the Messenger missionAnd NASA’s new triumph in spaceWith instruments measuring surface and coreAnd cameras detailing its face.The craters and faults look a lot like our moonBut the temperature there can melt lead!As the speaker continued, I found myself shockedBy the very next thing that he said:He noted “of course, in a few billion years,We know that the sun will expand,And the Earth will be hotter than Mercury now—We’ll be long gone by then, understand.”Now, I know that our species is really quite youngWhen compared to the age of the EarthAnd the odds of survival are frankly quite small,So today is of infinite worth.But to hear this astronomer matter-of-factlyDiscuss how our planet would dieWas a sobering thing—even more so becauseOf the evidence none could deny.Now, the funny thing is that the alternate stationWas speaking of fire as wellAnd the punishment meeting each ignorant sinnerEternally sentenced to Hell.The end is not coming in billions of yearsBut when God calls us back to his side.It could happen tomorrow, so live your life rightWith the Bible alone as your guide.Today’s not important; the whole of your lifeIs just prelude to life after deathIn Heaven or Hell, so your choice must be made–It’s too late once you draw your last breath.He was blatantly trying to frighten his listenersBut strangely, I wasn’t afraid.A Bronze-age mythology doesn’t stand upWhen there’s evidence there to be weighed.

It’s funny—the world-view that talks about HeavenAnd promises souls will surviveHas to stoop to extortion and threats, like I heardAs I motored along on my drive.The so-called “dispassionate world-view of science”Has beauty, and greater appeal—What’s more, in a contrast from mythical HellWhat is studied in science is real.No threats of damnation, just projects like MessengerQuietly getting it done—Enjoy your Earth—only a few billion yearsTill the whole thing’s engulfed by the Sun.